294 AMERICAN AGRICULTURE. 



colored, nearly inodorous flowers, as large and not unlike the 

 outline of the cotton blossom. Its timber is light and soft, 

 but useful for many purposes. 



THE AILANTUS (A. glandulosa, Fig. 78) has not been ex- 

 tensively reared in the United States, till 

 within the last few years. It is hardy, and 

 grows rapidly in latitude 42, and south 

 of it, throwing out its long, pinnated, 

 sumach-like leaf, from 20 to 70 inches in 

 length. It forms a pleasant shade imme- 

 diately after transplanting, and will con- 

 tinue to grow rapidly and with great beau- 

 ty till it attains a height of 50 to 70 feet. 

 Some even exceed this size. The Chinese, from whom we 

 get it, give to it the imposing name of the Tree oj Hea- 

 ven. Its wood is hard and compact, and of a deep, reddish 

 color. It will receive some polish, and retains a slight lus- 

 tre, sufficient to justify its use for cabinet work. 



The European Larch as shown in fig. 79, is of many 

 varieties, and is sometimes used in this country 

 as a shade tree. For this object, the Red- 

 coned and Weeping varieties are esteemed 

 the most ornamental! There are several 

 other varieties indigenous to America, close- 

 ly resembling the former in all their peculiari- 

 ties. They are more generally known in this 

 country as the Hackmatack or Tamarack. 

 FIG. 79. They are partial to moist or swampy and cold 

 soils. The timber is among the strongest and most durable: 

 They sometimes grow to thf height of 80 or 100 feet, and two 

 to three feet in diameter. 



The Cedar of Lebanon (Fig. 80) endeared to the memo- 

 ry of youth by a thousand incidents of 

 biblical and profane history, is a tree of 

 large size, and peculiar in its widely- 

 outspreading branches. It is frequently 

 used as a shade tree in Europe, but sel- 

 dom in this country. The great value 

 FIG 80 of its timber may be inferred, from the 



fact that it was almost exclusively used 

 in the building of the temple of Solomon, whose costly ma- 

 terials and elaborate finish has never been equalled before or 

 since. There is one specimen growing at Throg's Neck, 

 N. Y., two feet in diameter, that produces an abundance of 

 cones annually, from which other trees can be grown. 



